EPISODE 19
NOKSEODANG
Is it not in the back either?
No, there isn't even a trace.
By any chance, is there a possibility that someone else has taken it already?
I lived here my whole life.
If something like that was found here, I would have known for sure.
And before you began to live here, this place was deserted for a long time,
so no one would have searched here.
I'll take another look over here. You should get some rest.
I'm fine.
Your shoulder isn't even well yet.
If it gets infected, it will give you a hard time.
-Why? -Do you not care?
I might not be
the person you always thought I was.
Then what do you believe
I think of you?
To me, you are a weird person
who can write amazing romance novels
when you don't know a thing about women.
Also, you're someone who's scared of tigers,
but who can do anything when it comes to love.
And you never even pick a flower recklessly.
You always leave rice grains on the windowsill for birds.
That is
the Prince Dowon that I know.
You'll always be the person I know.
Eunuch Hong Il-seop of the Office of Eunuchs. Get him!
Darn it.
Come in.
He made a confession. It was the Queen Dowager's doing.
-Tell them to report it as it is. -Yes, my lord.
Are you saying the Queen Dowager was the one who spread The Story of Ho Dam?
Yes, we received a report from the Royal Investigation Bureau.
They questioned the court ladies involved in this incident,
and they all confessed that they followed her order.
Your Majesty, forgive me for saying this.
But The Story of Ho Dam is a completely made-up story
written by the remnants of Seoraewon
to praise the dethroned King's odd behaviors.
What do you reckon it means if such a book was found
within the Queen Dowager's place?
On top of that, she was the mother of the dethroned King--
So what? Are you suggesting that the Queen Dowager of this country was
secretly in league with the traitors?
Your Royal Highness.
I do not believe that the Queen Dowager is involved in this incident.
However, what we do know clearly is that the remnants of Seoraewon have
deeply infiltrated the palace to cause division.
How can we just sit around and watch this?
Your Majesty, the safety of the royal family is at stake.
Please close the Queen Dowager's place and interrogate the court ladies
to find out who's behind this.
Don't let them, Your Majesty.
If you let them interrogate the court ladies of her place,
it's as good as announcing that the Queen Dowager is behind this.
That's just speculation.
I just wish to root out the remnants of Seoraewon.
I am not claiming that the Queen Dowager is guilty.
The things of the Inner Palace can't be dealt with in the royal court.
This is the royal family's trouble. Let me take care of this.
-Your Majesty. -Your Majesty.
Silence!
Give me some time to think.
Your Majesty.
You cannot let the Second State Councillor have his way with this.
You must give me permission.
Like I said, I'll think about it.
You should go for now.
You must turn it down at once.
How can you ignore his plan to cut off the Queen Dowager's hands and feet
-and confine her within her place? -I told you to leave.
I can't back down.
The Second State Councillor is
the treacherous one who blames the innocent Queen Dowager
and who wants to divide up the royal family.
Your Majesty!
What do you know to meddle with this?
It's all for your sake.
It's all to protect you
from Prince Dowon.
What do you mean?
Did you honestly
have no idea?
That he's the dethroned King's son?
-Father. -Yes.
He was born as the crown prince of this country.
He's the eldest son of that legitimate King, Yi Gyeom.
The Queen Dowager is
trying to enthrone Prince Dowon instead of you.
She's dragging in the remnants of Seoraewon
and spreading Yi Gyeom's stories all over the palace
for Prince Dowon,
Yi Rim's sake.
Two decades have passed ever since I took the throne.
But there are scholars all over the land of Joseon
speaking of the legitimacy of my enthronement.
That's how important your birth is.
From the moment you are born until the day you die,
you cannot get rid of it
no matter how much you try.
So if the Queen Dowager uses the most legitimate Prince Dowon
to create influence of her own
and bring up the rebellion from 20 years ago,
what do you think will happen?
Even if you become the king,
you'll forever be the king that stole the throne
from the direct descendant.
I know for a fact that you'll be a better king than me.
That's why I must come to a decision.
So please do not get in my way.
Just stay quiet...
and wait.
-Take them! -Yes, master!
Your Majesty.
Your Royal Highness, please order them to stop at once.
Your Majesty.
Don't get flustered.
The king felt cornered and made the wrong choice.
He may be the king,
but he chose to attack his own mother.
So that will enrage the Confucian scholars throughout the country.
I see that you come here very often.
Why do you need the records on Nokseodang?
I don't really know. I'm just following orders.
Thank you.
Hey, wait. Is that all?
Did he mention that he's going to help me get promoted or anything like that?
-He did ask me to tell you something. -What's that?
He told me that he'll rip your tongue out if you ever go around telling people
that Prince Dowon asked to see a few records
from the Royal Secretariat.
-Have a good day. -Okay.
Let's think from the very beginning.
If I were Officer Kim Il-mok...
Nokseodang would've been the best place to hide something
since it was practically abandoned and was very remote from the main palace.
The daily record needs to be safe from sunlight and rain,
so it can't be the garden.
This spot is damp and filled with bugs,
so it's definitely not here.
It can't be somewhere that's easy to find.
But it can't be somewhere that's impossible to find either.
That gate got repaired 19 years ago.
They laid new roof tiles 15 years ago.
The mud walls went through repair work eight years ago.
So it can't be any of them.
NOKSEODANG
Apprentice Goo.
It's not time for you to be here yet.
Your Highness, this signboard...
When did you replace it?
-The signboard? -It looks new.
But it doesn't say the Board of Public Works replaced it.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS: IN CHARGE OF BUILDINGS
Oh, well...
I'm not sure.
That was probably there before His Highness moved here.
It's strange that it never rots. Also, the color never fades.
NOKSEODANG
Be careful. Be gentle, Your Highness.
My goodness. Your Highness, please.
My gosh, what is this?
It's chuanxiong and calamus.
They're used to store history records.
SEORAEWON
Is this the daily record
we've been looking for?
Yes, I saw the word "Seoraewon" written on the record.
It's from the year of gyeongo.
Your Highness.
No, Your Highness. It's a daily record.
You're not allowed to read it.
What do you mean?
I know it's been hidden for a long time,
but it's still a daily record written by a historian.
Only historians are allowed to read it.
Then
are you telling me not to do anything even after I found it?
Regardless of what's written on this daily record,
it's up to the historians to read it
and decide what to do.
Your Highness.
Please wait a little bit.
No.
I can't wait anymore.
I don't care about that right now.
-Your Highness. -I've been wondering my whole life.
All my life, I had to wonder
why His Majesty hated me so much,
and why I always had to be locked up here.
How do you expect me to wait
when the answer is right in front of me?
I'm going to read this no matter what you say.
So you can tell His Majesty or His Royal Highness
that Prince Dowon broke the law of this country.
-Then you would've done your part. -Your Highness.
-How can I-- -If you can't do that,
I'll do it myself.
Your Highness, you can't do this! Please!
-Please don't do this. -Get out of my way.
You cannot keep that daily record!
If you do this,
you don't know what might happen to you.
Your Highness!
I'll... I'll tell you everything.
I'll...
I'll tell you everything.
Please don't go.
Your Highness.
His Majesty ordered not to let anyone inside.
Please return.
Do you think it will be difficult for me to kill you?
Your Highness!
-Your Highness. -Tell her I'm here.
-Your Majesty-- -Tell him to come inside.
Prince Dowon, what brings you here?
Please sit down.
Did something happen?
Prince Dowon.
Why did you make me become a prince?
Why did you...
make me live this kind of life?
I thought
everything was my fault.
I thought His Majesty hated and neglected me
and made me lead
a solitary life in Nokseodang like I didn't exist
because I wasn't good enough for him, and I blamed myself for that.
But...
it was merely because
of the promise you had made with His Majesty?
He spared my life in exchange for the throne?
That's why
I had to live...
such a lonely
and miserable life?
You should have just
let me die as the dethroned king's son.
That
would have been better for me.
I would have rather died
than to have...
blamed and hated myself
my entire life.
Prince Dowon.
Please forgive me.
I had already lost my son to those traitors.
And I couldn't afford to lose my grandson as well.
I had to save you.
I had to protect you.
Did you really think
that would be the best for me?
I was guilty of having lived when I should have died.
And you saw me having to pay for that every single day.
But did you think that was okay
since I was able to stay alive?
Grandmother.
All my life,
I felt like I was being punished for no reason.
I'm sick of that now.
I'm so sick and tired of living in this palace
and living as Prince Dowon.
I just want...
to let go of everything.
No.
Don't get swayed.
Everything will soon go back to where it belongs.
You're the only true royal heir of this country.
I will help you
take back the royal throne.
And when I do that,
no one will be able to hurt you anymore.
Prince Dowon.
I also
had to live...
in utter agony for the past 20 years.
Prince Hamyeong killed my son,
and every time I had to hear him call me "mother,"
I felt like someone was ripping my limbs apart,
and I burned with fury deep down inside.
But...
I still continued to live for your sake.
So please do the same
and continue to live for me.
Please endure this.
No.
Think of your father who had to die
even when he did nothing wrong.
Please endure it for him.
Stay strong for a bit longer,
Prince Dowon.
You must do that.
My goodness.
Clerk Song is finally back.
Clerk Song.
Are you going to start working again?
Do you feel better now?
Your beautiful face became so scrawny.
I'm sorry.
I heard you got in trouble because of me.
Gosh, no.
It's all in the past now. It's okay.
Let's go eat something delicious tonight.
You finally came back,
but the palace is a complete mess.
We can't enter the Inner Palace for a while.
-What happened? -Don't even get me started.
The forbidden book called The Story of Ho Dam caused a big mess.
The Second State Councillor accused the Queen Dowager,
and His Royal Highness refused to accept it.
And now, everyone's banned to visit the Queen Dowager.
The palace guards are everywhere.
That's practically the same thing
as confining the Queen Dowager.
It's like we're living in a barbaric country.
How could they do that to an elder?
Hey, don't even bother talking about something so sensitive.
You'd better watch your mouths.
During times like this,
people always come to hear stories from us.
Go home as soon as you get off work. And don't even think of drinking, okay?
-Okay. -Okay.
What is it that you wish to tell me?
There's something I need to ask.
What is it?
I heard there have been a few times where historians revised the annals.
What kind of situation calls for a revision?
Historians may write down the facts,
but vassals that control the government office
can get swayed by the trend and their parties.
So when the annals of history seem incorrect
and unjust,
we follow the royal order and create a revised version.
We leave the original copy and leave it
to the future generation to judge what happened.
But why are you asking me that?
I found Officer Kim Il-mok's
-daily record. -What do you mean?
I got help from an officer who participated
in recording the dethronement of the previous king 20 years ago.
And I heard those records
were based on lies.
Are you telling me...
that a historian edited the daily records?
Yes.
The late Officer Kim died because he refused to follow such orders.
Who in the world...
Who...
Officer Min.
Shouldn't we...
reveal the truth?
No, don't do that.
That's not up to a historian.
I can't let you do that.
Have you forgotten?
What you're about to do could end up killing the innocent.
-"The innocent?" -Yes.
Are you sure it's not because your father was involved?
They got credit and are living comfortably for having taken part in the restoration,
but they can’t be considered innocent.
The innocent are the dethroned king
and the people of Seoraewon who were condemned
for having disobeyed the noblemen
and dreamed of creating a new world.
They're the ones who are innocent.
Twenty years ago,
historians were ordered to edit the daily records,
and the historian who refused to do that got executed.
That's a fact.
If you disregard this and say it's up to the royal court,
I will no longer be able
to respect you as my senior.
Father.
OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT CERTIFICATE
I am proud of you.
-I am truly proud of you. -Well done.
My lady.
What are you up to these days behind my back?
-What? -Well...
Some scholar is here to see you,
and his face is also...
It's quite sublime.
Many years ago,
when I was going through a hard time,
I came across this passage.
"Even the most powerful minister's authority
cannot last for decades,
and yet historians' words
silently live for thousands of years."
That one sentence inspired me
to become a historian.
I hoped that my words would become a pilju
that shows people
what is right and wrong even though I can't
change anything right at this moment.
PILJU: ACT OF REWARDING OR PUNISHING SOMEONE THROUGH WRITING
In other words, I didn't start out
as someone who just records what he sees or hears.
-Officer Min. -Do not worry about me.
We are simply doing our jobs
as historians.
Wait, why does it say this?
This is completely different from the facts that we know.
Are you sure Officer Kim Il-mok wrote this?
Or is this just some random document that you found?
It is Officer Kim Il-mok's handwriting.
I've seen his writing.
Does that mean what's written in this daily record is true?
The dethroned king wasn't Catholic,
and Seoraewon was just an educational institution?
That cannot be true. It means His Majesty tortured and punished
all those innocent people just to ascend the throne.
The two of you should tell us what you know.
You were at Sungkyunkwan 20 years ago,
so I'm sure you saw or heard some things.
Well, things were quite chaotic back then.
I don't know what those at Seoraewon were up to,
but people covered in blood were being carried out every day.
And we used to see foreigners walking freely in the heart of the city.
That's why scholars at Sungkyunkwan even began a gonggwan.
GONGGWAN: GOING HOME AS A PROTEST
It didn't end there.
Everyone said we should submit a petition,
so I signed one too.
So did the rebellion take place
because of Seoraewon?
The dethroned king's secret letter was the final straw.
It was a letter to a French Catholic priest who was in Qing at the time.
It was about wanting to turn Joseon into a Catholic nation
and how he should send priests to Joseon to propagate Catholic beliefs.
But it got caught before it could cross the borders.
But this reads...
"His Majesty summoned a student at Seoraewon.
'Thank you for sending me the book.
Let us go to Kumgangsan together next time you are in Joseon.'"
That was what the student was told to write in the letter.
Someone changed
the content of the letter.
To justify the dethronement.
That means...
It wasn't to set things right. It was treason.
Clerk Song, watch your mouth.
-Do you even realize what that means? -Regardless of what it was,
-I absolutely cannot let this slide. -Officer Yang!
This isn't about whether the dethroned king was falsely accused.
It is not about the royal court.
It boils down to whether or not
someone threatened historians to manipulate the records.
How dare someone alter historical facts? Do we have to sit in on every meeting,
write down every single thing that we hear,
and work even after we go home to put up with this?
We'll find out if it was manipulated
and what kind of lunatic did it.
We must find out the truth to protect the honor of the Office of Royal Decrees.
Go and get me
a full list of the historians that were at Ilgicheong at the time.
Here, sir.
The Chancellor was in charge
of all the historians at the time.
What brings you here?
There is something we must discuss with you.
Is that true? You found Officer Kim Il-mok's original daily records?
Yes, my lord.
Where did you...
Never mind.
So? Where is it?
-Let me see it first. -We are not here to show it to you.
We are here to ask you about the unjust things that happened
at Ilgicheong back then.
What are you talking about? What do you mean by "unjust things"?
What happened at Ilgicheong?
We have a statement by a historian who partook in manipulating the records,
and Officer Kim Il-mok's records
tell us a story that is different from the facts we know.
My lord, do you truly not know anything about it?
-You are out of line. -My lord.
I cannot tolerate your impudence any longer.
How dare you historians act as if you are judges with a few pieces of paper?
How much longer must we, ministers, put up with your insolence?
You went on a strike and even made His Majesty apologize to you,
so it is now time for you to cooperate with us for a change!
Please leave.
I do not need to hear anything else from you.
Shall I order someone to drag you all out of here?
My lord, were you not
a historian once yourself?
I am aware that you are now one of the core officials of the royal court,
but you worked at the Office of Royal Decrees for over a decade.
I've heard that you decided to become
a historian with the determination that you'd never
fear anyone with power even if it is the king, inspired by the historians,
Dong Hu and Min In-saeng.
Is that spirit...
completely gone now?
The day before his execution, Officer Kim Il-mok said
that he'd like to record the final truth through his death.
As historians, we do not want
to feel ashamed before his faith.
Please help us.
I implore you.
-Please help us. -Please help us.
HO DAM AND YEONGAN
"Ho Dam and Yeongan.
This is where the path was made"?
It is Prince Huiyeong, Yi Gyeom.
I did hear about him in passing when I was little.
I was told that I should never speak about him.
Rim.
But this reads...
"His Majesty summoned a student at Seoraewon.
'Thank you for sending me the book.
Let us go to Kumgangsan together next time you are in Joseon.'"
That was what the student was told to write in the letter.
Someone changed the content of the letter.
Jae-gyeong.
Can you really read this?
Of course.
"A king must support people with talent
and respect all forms of art."
What do you think? Impressive, right?
Which country speaks this language?
A faraway country called France.
I'll teach you when you're older.
Okay.
"What will you choose? Dog poop or cow poop?"
Hae-ryung. I will...
I will always be here for you.
However, what I'm afraid of is neither the epidemic nor the people.
I'm afraid of being so far away from you.
Gosh, you silly goose.
Next is a petition from Im Sang-hyeon from the Office of Censors.
"I have gathered
opinions of scholars at academies and local schools across the country
and found out that most scholars insist what was done
to the Queen Dowager is immoral.
This is worsening public sentiment toward--"
Come again? "Immoral"?
What do those scholars in the countryside even know? How dare they lecture us?
Your Royal Highness, please do not be concerned.
We are sending an official letter
to each county to inform the people
that it was all caused by the schemes of the remnants of Seoraewon.
-Things will quiet down soon. -Yes, Your Royal Highness.
Public sentiment changes all the time.
The people are fickle-minded.
They are easily swayed like reeds in the wind.
Today...
Let us finish here.
Your Royal Highness.
We still have a petition from the Office of Royal Decrees.
Officer Min, that is...
How dare you do this without going through the Royal Secretariat?
It's a petition written by Apprentice Goo Hae-ryung.
An apprentice?
How dare a female historian without any official rank--
The female historians are government officials as well.
"I, Apprentice Goo Hae-ryung, submit this
to ask you to look into a suspicious incident from the past."
A witness says the daily record,
submitted to Ilgicheong 20 years ago,
was fabricated,
and we have the daily record to prove that.
The historian, who tried his best to protect the truth,
sacrificed his life to do his duty,
so his fellow historians who are alive wish to right the wrongs
to pass down only true facts.
I implore you
to find out who threatened and persuaded
the historians at Ilgicheong to distort the historical facts
and which of the historians
betrayed their principles and ingratiated themselves with those in power.
Please find out the truth.
"Find out the truth"? What exactly do you mean by that?
We request a comprehensive and fair investigation
of all the 42 officials that were involved in the dethronement process.
What do you mean "investigation"? Leave at once!
How dare you relay a female historian's words to us, calling it a petition?
This is not just from her.
It is from the entire Office of Royal Decrees.
This is a request by all the historians.
Your Royal Highness, this is a groundless accusation.
I was one of the historians at Ilgicheong back then.
What? The records were manipulated? That is simply impossible!
Your Royal Highness.
I was in charge of managing all the historians 20 years ago,
but I know nothing about the records being manipulated.
However...
However, the historians do have a point.
It is their duty
to record history as truthfully as possible for our future generations,
so if there are such suspicions,
we should look into it and find out whether they are true or not.
-Chancellor. -Chancellor.
The Chancellor is absolutely right.
Anyone who tries to distort historical records
deserves capital punishment.
Please form a special investigation committee and find out the truth.
I will...
-not allow that. -Your Royal Highness.
I will not accept
any more petitions regarding this.
Gosh, why are they taking so long?
I cannot wait any longer. I shall go and try to eavesdrop on them.
-Okay, hurry. -Go.
Officer Yang, how did it go?
His Royal Highness said we should never even bring it up again.
I heard it's regarding an urgent matter.
Did something happen to the Queen Dowager?
Those at the Office of Royal Decrees found Kim Il-mok's daily records.
A female historian named Goo Hae-ryung
submitted a petition, requesting an investigation
of what happened at Ilgicheong.
So what happened? Did they accept the request?
No, His Royal Highness did not approve it.
He knows that digging into that incident
from 20 years ago will only threaten his position.
If His Royal Highness has decided not to support the historians,
we don't know what Min Ik-pyeong will do now.
Actually, I think we can wait a little
and see what happens next.
They are historians.
As long as they have all the daily records,
even the Second State Councillor won't have any excuses to harm them.
That won't matter to Min Ik-pyeong.
If needed, he will even use the military to threaten the Office of Royal Decrees.
If he goes that route,
it will give us the most perfect reason to raise an army.
Don't worry.
If he harms the historians in any way,
I will mobilize my soldiers at the Military Training Corps immediately
and punish Min Ik-pyeong for treason.
I really don't want to work anymore.
I mean, why work so hard?
They'll change it however they wish later on anyway.
That's what I'm saying.
I'm wondering why historians are even needed
and why the Office of Royal Decrees exists.
It is too early to be let down.
If Apprentice Goo's petition gets rejected,
we'll submit another one in my name.
If that also gets rejected, we'll file another one in Apprentice Oh's name.
We will keep going until it gets approved. We can do this!
-That's right! -Hey.
Didn't you see His Royal Highness earlier?
If we bring it up again, a bloodbath may sweep across the palace.
It is very odd though.
His Royal Highness would never ignore our opinion like this.
Enough, all of you. Let's get our work done first.
Only then can we have time to come up with a solution together.
Hae-ryung.
I'll keep it short. You still have some time.
Leave the city for the time being.
Jae-gyeong.
This is about all the historians now.
It is not something that mere historians can handle.
Investigating what happened at Ilgicheong? Do you realize what that means?
It means the historians wish to judge
whether the dethronement was a just decision.
Since your name has been brought up,
the Second State Councillor won't let it slide.
Even the Office of Royal Decrees is no longer safe.
So please...
Stop here and leave.
Hae-ryung!
Is it because of guilt?
Is that why
you are so protective of me?
I always thought something didn't quite add up.
I wondered how the two of us could survive
when everyone else at Seoraewon died on the same day
and how you managed to land
a position in the government when you used to work at Seoraewon.
Was all of that possible...
because you swapped the dethroned king's letter with a fake one?
But I still...
don't resent you.
I'm sure
you had a reason.
And you've already
punished yourself...
by protecting me and looking after me for all those years
while suffering all by yourself.
So,
you no longer need to carry
all the burden by yourself,
Jae-gyeong.
I thought we had finally managed to silence the Queen Dowager.
Where did Kim Il-mok's daily records even come from out of the blue?
Not a day goes by without trouble here in the royal court.
Chancellor, why did you take the historians' side?
What if they find out that it was, in fact, altered?
You and I will be the first ones to lose our lives
as we were historians back then.
Look, do you think I sided with them because I actually wanted to?
The special investigation committee will not be formed anyway.
At least one of us had to act like we support them,
or they'll raid our office again with an ax.
We were lucky because His Royal Highness didn't approve it,
but who knows what those historians will do next?
We should get the military involved
to silence the historians.
The petition was submitted by Apprentice Goo Hae-ryung.
Third Inspector Goo's sister.
Where is he now?
He is in Chungcheong Province on duty.
Actually, he should've been back a few days ago.
We have no way of reaching him though.
Lord Min, are you thinking...
My gosh!
What's going on? Who are you guys?
Excuse me. Lord Goo is...
What is happening?
Let's go.
What is this about?
Your Highness, His Royal Highness has asked us not to let anyone in.
You may let him in.
Your Highness.
I have to go over this petition.
Is it something urgent?
I heard you rejected the historians' petition.
So?
Form a special investigation committee
to find out who did it and what they wanted to hide--
Why are you curious about that?
Perhaps what you truly want is
proving that the dethronement was wrong, not finding out what was buried.
Did you
know about it too?
The fact that I am the dethroned king's son.
No. You are His Majesty's son, and a prince of this kingdom.
Hence, you should never forget your duty.
What exactly is that duty of mine that you are speaking of?
Just being the powerless, weak, pathetic prince
who is confined to his residence?
Yes. That is your duty.
You cannot and should not do anything.
That is you, Prince Dowon.
I don't know since when you were so interested in the royal court's affairs,
but such political matters should not concern you. Now, leave.
I have made up my mind not to live like that any longer.
I will right the wrongs
and punish those who did bad deeds.
-Rim. -Even you...
won't be able to stop me.
Send palace guards to Nokseodang at once!
Prince Dowon
must not even step out of his residence.
Apprentice Goo, have you heard the news?
His Highness can't leave Nokseodang.
Let me through.
I am a historian. Please let me in.
His Royal Highness has ordered us to strictly guard Nokseodang.
Even historians aren't allowed to enter?
How is this considered "guarding"?
Your Highness.
Please do not forget
that you two can be here now because of my decision 20 years ago.
The dethroned king's son is alive.
And that's why the people of Seoraewon are continuing to have false hope.
Prince Dowon will vanish soon.
I am no longer Prince Dowon.
I am the son of Yi Gyeom, Prince Huiyeong.
-I am Yi Rim. -Even if you slash my throat,
we historians will continue writing.